In war, people turn to their loved ones for comfort, if you're a member of the armed forces you turn to your comrades. In 1914, the die was cast as the German standing army invaded France and war was declared. In 1994, this interview-style documentary, And We Learned to Dance, directed by Maureen Judge, accurately depicted the lives of women during and after the First World War; with precision, through the stories of women who served in war professions, as well as nurses. This is evident from the film's extensive use of footage, first-hand accounts, and music to firmly fit the tone of the section. The film also exceeds expectations, with very few, if any, weaknesses. The most relatable aspect of the film is the perspective of those who, not so long ago, would have been silenced or stifled; is heard and exposed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe film [And we Learned to Dance] is a 1994 documentary that documents the experiences of women in wartime occupations and in military service. positions reserved for women at the time. The work they undertook was varied. Some worked in munitions production, others in food-packing factories; while others would work sewing fabrics or assisting in manufacturing jobs. The stories told in the film also indicate that it was not just lower middle or lower class women who worked. So did those who were of a higher class status, but they often didn't make it after a few months or so, or so the story went. Now, just as men would lie about their age to join the military, women would also lie about their age to work in factories or as nurses; rather, we know that the attempt was made. One woman recalled her time at the office and said she wanted to do her part. The age to participate in work duties was seventeen, and she was fifteen, so she was turned away. Naturally, she returned a few days later, but she was unable to join; because the same man was there the day before. The aim of this film is to highlight the army of the First World War, to bring its stories out from the dark and gory stories of the front lines. However, there are powerful and frightening stories that women also experienced on the war front. In the VA D (Voluntary Aid Detachments), female volunteers were trained and sent to treat the wounded. There was a particularly horrific story from a woman who was one of these VA Ds. A man had just been bayoneted, and her job was basically to hold the wound closed so the nurses and doctors could work. She told the sister (these detachments were often or entirely run by the church) that she simply could not keep it closed, that she would rather die. The Sister clearly said: “Then die, then you are of no use to me.” This shows how seriously these women took their profession, just as seriously as the men fighting in the official army. The women of the Army, as it is called, are those who held the home front while the men were at war. This brings us to the second point of the film, which was to show how women were just as important in the war. This brings us to the pointNext, how the information is shared. Interview style is one of the best ways to convey this. kind of information. The stories told are all first-hand accounts of the lives of women during and after the war. Stories of how they had contributed to society like men had, but were not allowed to vote, or work in certain industries. Even though this [oppression of women] was, and still is, common knowledge, these are just the stories; and hear them from a first-hand source. This form of documentation gives a real emotional touch to these very important and revealing stories. This format allows the film to also convey issues of the time, such as women not being allowed to vote, men not treating women the same in the workplace, women being sexually harassed on the workplace, etc. These points are among the most important, because they are the ones that are still debated; and discussed to this day. A good example is the pay differences that often exist in workplaces around the world. These are excellent points, and only add to the overall spectacle that is And We Learned to Dance. Leader in terms of strengths, And We Learned to Dance has a strong sense of its path and does not stray from it. To clarify, And We Learned to Dance clearly knows that it is a short documentary and is not trying to be anything else. From the opening, There's a Long Way to Tipperary (by John McCormack), setting the theme as being a historical catalog of life, playing on actual video of women in factories and near war zones is a pretty strong use of imagery, showing how important women were in the struggle. The film shows expert use of this tactic, using other videos based on what they were discussing, and using photos was also a pretty important step. All of these make the film great, not only because they relate to the nature of the production; because it is historical documentation, but because it has a very strong sense of connection and it is not afraid to tell things that need to be told, to tell stories that cannot be -have not been told. This combination with fantastic visuals and personal shots of the interview format almost makes it feel like they are speaking directly to you, making it feel very personal. Unfortunately, no great work of art is complete without its flaws. The format used was unfortunately very repetitive. You learned what the next step would be, interviews, visuals with voiceovers, opinions on topics, multiple responses with different people; and end with a musical transition before continuing. It became very mundane and exhausting very quickly. Granted, the play was only an hour long, but it tends to lose the engagement of anyone in a younger audience who might be interested in the subject, and to its credit it tries to vary the types of questions to avoid unnecessary repetition, for example you hear about the "Blue Devils" (a group of blue-collar workers who work in a factory) two or three times during the entire piece. These, however, are the only downsides to the film. There's no need to expand beyond the stories, and that's exactly what the film does. The film is by no means a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it isn't well made. These in themselves are very few weaknesses to speak of, it draws you in with an upbeat melody and forces you to stick with the information it provides..